6 Tips for Taking Amazing Family Travel Pictures

6 Tips for Taking Amazing Family Travel Pictures

Family vacations aren’t just an amazing bonding activity with the kids but also a great way to create memories that are worth looking back on.

Now, take a look at your family vacation pictures. Do they evoke the same feelings that you and your loved ones felt when all of you were in that exact moment? If so, then good for you! But if you think your family photos fall short, you don’t have to feel bad. There’s always the next family vacation to look forward to!

Family vacations are the perfect time to chill, but when documenting them on camera, put in some effort to make sure that everything is properly composed. These vacation photos are your ultimate souvenirs from the trip, so why not capture perfect photo opportunities?

Using effective photo compositions when capturing scenes and moments during your trip will make your shots stand out. For example, when taking group shots of the family, use natural frames (like trees, doors, windows, or arches) to add an interesting element to an otherwise ordinary family picture.

2. Carry your camera at all times

Among the worst parts of a trip are the wasted photo opportunities—the awesome and heartwarming moments (such as the kids building a sand castle on the beach or just cuddling in the hotel room) that aren’t captured on camera.

Family vacations create spontaneous moments that you surely don’t want to miss, and every moment counts. That’s why you have to keep your camera close to you at all times; you never know when the perfect photo opportunity would present itself. It’s okay to turn off your camera or keep it in your bag from time to time, but never leave it in the hotel room while you’re on a tour or even in an unplanned stroll. Thanks to cell phones, this is so much easier.

3. Go for fun, creative poses

Ditch the traditional family poses and think of something more creative like candid and wacky shots. You can also do some series of poses like pointing at a direction that the whole family wants to go or create silhouettes with a gorgeous sunrise or sunset as the background.

Let the kids be playful with their poses and imitate them! Doing those poses itself is a fun experience that will definitely look cool and cute on photos.

4. Capture the quiet moments

While it’s great to take photos of your family having fun, it’s also perfect to document the idle moments as well. Ask your travel companions about their favorite part of the trip. See how their eyes twinkle as they reminisce the activity they’ve experienced, then snap a photo. Don’t forget to capture the moments when they are just sitting down, eating ice cream to cool down, or sipping a cup of hot chocolate.

5. Get everyone in the photo

Of course, who wouldn’t want to be excluded from family vacation pictures? Make sure to snap at least a few family photos before moving on to your next destination. It’s best if you bring a handy tripod that can hold your camera for you when you want to be included in the group shot.

If you don’t have a tripod, find a sturdy post that can hold the camera steadily and securely. But if you’d like a cute family photo, get the camera down on the ground and make faces, just like the photo below.

6. Focus on faces

Sometimes, we’re too busy taking photos of beautiful landscapes and mouthwatering dishes that we forget what really matters in our family vacation: our family. Remember, the photo of a Mickey Mouse mascot in Disneyland is worth missing than the look on your kids’ faces the moment they see him.

Of course, you’d want to capture the chuckling faces of your kids in an eye-catching yet proper way. Instead of shooting from your perspective, bend down to their height and level the camera with their faces for a clearer view. These are the kind of photos that you’d want your kids to see when they grow up and remind them of the fun times they had with the family.

The tips mentioned aren’t technical, but they can definitely help you produce better and beautiful photos. As you get back from your trip, don’t forget to preserve your family vacation photos in creative ways so that your lovely snapshots taken during your family vacation won’t go to waste.

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Lindsay is the Editor and Head Writer of Carpe Diem OUR Way. She wears many hats including mom, wife, freelancer, GM for a manufacturing company and soccer player. Lindsay is spontaneous, loves travel, photography and very recently discovered she loves to write.

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Hi and welcome to Carpe Diem OUR Way! I'm Lindsay and I am addicted to being a foreigner! Hopefully my posts on travel and my love for adventure as well as family travel tips will help make your next trip a great one!